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Tale of the Tape

Tale Of The Tape: Oakland Raiders At Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

Denver Broncos

Quarterback

The Raiders breathed a sigh of relief because they got a win in Week Two in front of their home fans, but Terrelle Pryor has no opportunity to pat himself on the back because the Raiders have to prepare for perhaps the most explosive team in the league. Pryor has excellent speed and he knows how to make plays on the run. He is a limited passer at this point in his development.

The Broncos have a multi-faceted attack and while Peyton Manning was good last year, he appears far more comfortable this year. Manning is healthier and he is once again putting the ball on the money and he is getting the ball downfield with more velocity than he had last year. Manning’s ability to find the soft spots in the opposing defense makes the Broncos very dangerous.

Offense

The Raiders are going to have to slow the game down if they are going to compete with the Broncos for four quarters, and that means putting together a cohesive running game. Darren McFadden burned the Jaguars for 129 yards in Week Two and he must be even better against Denver. Wide receiver Rod Streater is not a star, but he must play like one against Denver.

Knowshon Moreno is one of the more underrated players in the league. He punished the Giants with 93 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. His blocking also opened things up for Denver receivers Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker. That trio gives Manning a slew of options when he throws the ball downfield.

Defense

The Raiders defense has been competitive in a close loss to Indianapolis in Week One and again in the victory over the Jaguars in Week Two. However, the competition will be much tougher against the Broncos. Charles Woodson has been solid in his return to the Raiders while cornerback Mike Jenkins has solid cover skills as well.

The Broncos defense is based on speed and attacking the quarterback. Linebacker Danny Trevathan has been one of the most impactful players, as he had 10 tackles and a sack against the Giants in Week Two. Chris Harris understands what opposing receivers want to do and he knows how to get into the proper position to make key interceptions.

Special Teams

The Raiders would like their chances if this game was a battle of special teams and big Sebastian Janikowski gets an opportunity to win the game with a field goal. New punter Marquette King averaged 48.0 yards on four kicks against the Jaguars.

Superquick Trindon Holliday is an explosive player and the 5-5 speedster proved it with an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown that clinched the Broncos victory over the Giants. Mike Prater is a good but not great placekicker.

RESULTS

Denver Broncos

Playing Peyton Manning at home with his trio of wide receivers and a defense that recorded four interceptions last week against the Giants will be too much for Terrelle Pryor and the Raiders.
-Steve Silverman, CBS Local Sports contributor